Star Dancing
by Lady Laran
Summary: Written for the Tolkien Summer Reverse Big Bang! After the destruction of the Two Lamps, Ilmarë, Varda's handmaiden, brings news to her mistress in hopes this will alleviate the depression that has been troubling the Queen of the Valar.


Author's Note – This story was written for Tolkien's Reverse Big Bang, and I was honored to be the one to lay claim to the amazing artwork done by GloomyCamomile. I rarely get to play with the Valar and the Maiar so this was a unique concept to me. I hope I do well by the artwork and the artist pleased with how this inspired me.

Disclaimer – I do not own any of the characters in this story; all rights belong to the great Tolkien. I don't make money from this story. I also do not own the song, "Morning Star," and it's owned by Blackmore's Night. I don't own "Paint the Sky With Stars" by Enya either. These two songs fit the story so I decided to add them to this little tale.

_**Star Dancing**_

Ilmarë padded quietly through the gardens in search of her mistress; Varda had been distraught lately due to Melkor's evil acts, and she hoped that she might be able to lift Her spirits even slightly with the news she had recently uncovered. Manwë had mentioned that His wife was not acting as She usually would, not that the King of the Valar could blame Her since the Two Lamps had filled all of them with such joy and comfort since their creation. However, the Maia had an idea that might be able to cheer up her miserable queen and hoped that she would be successful with this attempt.

"Mo bhanríon, there you are!"

Varda looked up when She heard the unexpected voice ring out through the gardens, dark eyes catching sight of her handmaiden and a soft look crossed Her beautiful face. She adored her little friend and was always glad for her company.

"I did not realize you were looking for me, ceann beag. Have you been searching long?"

Ilmarë clambered onto the bench, for once not fretting that her small height made it difficult to get onto things like this since they had been crafted for the taller Valar. She gave her a sweet smile, settling comfortably beside her mistress.

"For a while," the Maiar admitted while neatly arranging her skirts. "You have quite a few places you enjoy withdrawing to for privacy so I had to search each of them. This was the last one I could think of so I am pleased to have found you. I overheard something important a little while ago and felt you should hear the news."

"What did you overhear," She asked, looking down at her faithful handmaiden.

"I happened to overheard Lord Mandos discussing something with Lord Aulë, King Manwë, and Lady Nienna. The Firstborn will be coming soon!"

"Is that so, ceann beag," Varda asked, amused by the delight emanating from the Maia.

"It is, mo bhanríon," Ilmarë answered, beaming almost as bright as one of the stars her mistress had kindled so long ago. "And my lord Mandos said that these children will hold you in reverence for the stars you created while Arda was being created."

That gave the Valië pause, and She looked at her friend with an expression that was a mix of surprise and hope. Her voice trembled slightly as She asked the question that was so important to her.

"They will enjoy the stars?"

"That's what He said, mo bhanríon," she informed Varda, taking hope in the dark eyes that had held such sorrow earlier. The Maia could see joy building there, chasing away the shadows that had haunted her mistress since the destruction of the Two Lamps She and Lord Aulë had jointly created to illuminate Arda.

Varda was quiet for a long moment, thinking about what She had been told. While Her works had helped this new world, it seemed that only She and Her dearest companion had been the only ones to take joy from the soft creations She had kindled into existence some time ago. She knew Yavanna and Nienna found them to be beautiful but cold in some ways, and She could not blame them for thinking such things.

Nienna's heart was full of sorrow, burdened by mourning over the wounds evil had left behind on their beautiful creation, and soft light was not always the best to chase away the grief and help Her smile. As for Yavanna, the Queen of Earth had always preferred the brighter lights that had helped Her creations grow and thrive.

Varda could not fault them for desiring the warmer lights, and She had admired the Lamp that had burned so brightly during the day. Her favorite had been the Lamp that had shone softer during the night, allowing Her stars to shine sweetly in a beautiful setting.

The destruction of those Lamps had broken Her heart and while She enjoyed the trees Yavanna had sung into existence, watered by Nienna's tears, She greatly missed the original sources of light that She and Aulë had brought into existence together. Despite Her heartbreak, She had tended to Her wells carefully as She had known the lights gathered from the dew of both trees would be needed later.

A soft sound from Her beloved friend drew Varda from Her deep thoughts, and She could see the handmaiden waiting patiently for Her to decide on what should be done.

"I think, ceann beag, we should do something special to welcome the new children as they come to Arda. I think setting new stars into the night sky would be a nice present to wake to. What do you think?"

The Maia's face lit up with joy at the Valië's words, and she beamed happily at Varda. The smile she recieved in return helped ease the worry in her heart; her mistress would be fine!

"Oh yes, mo bhanríon! That would be the best present to wake to!"

"Come, let us go to Telperion's well and gather what we need to perform our task," Varda said, rising gracefully to Her feet. "I think there's a basket there we can use that Aulë made for this purpose. I left it there so I wouldn't lose it."

The pair went to the well, finding the special basket where Varda had left it and gathering enough of the dew to ensure there would be plenty of bright stars kindled to welcome the elves when they woke. Once done, Ilmarë carefully held the basket as they stepped out into the blackness of the night sky.

"The stars are doing well," Varda observed, smiling as She eyed the lights She had placed in the dark firmament so long ago.

"They are," Ilmarë agreed, tilting her head as she admired the shining lights. "I wonder if Lord Aulë used them as inspiration during His part of singing Arda into being."

That comment startled the Valië, who turned to focus on her handmaiden. She hadn't expected her to make such a statement and was curious as to where her thoughts were on this.

"What do you mean," She asked.

"Well, I think Lord Aulë's gems sparkle a lot like your stars do," she answered, unaware of the curiosity burning within her mistress. "I think He must have taken inspiration from them while singing such things into existence. The ones He calls diamonds especially remind me of your work. They're almost as beautiful as your stars are."

Laughter came from the Valië, sounding sweet as a song bird as it wafted into the darkness. The sound made Ilmarë smile even brighter, happy she had made the other laugh. It was a rare sound these days, and the Maia was determined to hear it more often. She knew the other members of the Valar had the same determination, though Lady Nienna had not been certain how to bring such a thing about.

"I think, ceann milis, that I want to be there if you ever bring this up to His attention. Make sure Yavanna is there too because I know She will laugh at His reaction."

"Do you think He will be insulted," she asked, eyes huge with worry.

Varda laughed harder, resting a hand on Ilmarë's shoulder as she answered the timid sounding question. Aulë could be intimidating, but She knew the Vala had a very soft heart when it came to certain things. Ilmarë happened to be one of those beings Aulë was fond of simply due to her curiosity about the materials He had sung into being while crafting Arda. She had often found the pair in His workshop, finding her handmaiden listening with fascination as the great Smith explained whatever it was that had caught her curiosity that day regarding His creations. He was always patient with her, teaching her about the various crafts He knew as well as the materials He had created for those crafts.

"No, ceann milis, He will not be insulted," She promised, still laughing while giving Her answer. "I daresay you are the first to draw such a comparison, and I do not believe the similarity between my stars and His gems to be something He did consciously. I just believe that Yavanna and I will find His reaction to the comparison amusing once He realizes what He has subconsciously done while singing these items into creation."

Ilmarë thought for a moment, wondering if her mistress was correct in how Lord Aulë would react if she gave voice to the comment she had spoken to Varda not moments before. The other knew the Smith much better than she did so she hoped Varda was correct in that He would not be angry or insulted by her words. However, despite her trust in her queen, the Maia was not going to be sharing her observation with the Smith for quite a while!

She adjusted her hold on the basket, looking down into the shining dew for a few seconds before looking back up at Varda. The handmaiden gave Her a sweet smile, nodding her acceptance at the wish of her queen.

"I suppose we should get started," Varda said, giving the other a few more moments to collect herself.

"Whenever you are ready, mo bhanríon," Ilmarë answered eagerly, ready to assist her queen with this task.

The Queen of the Stars closed Her eyes, reaching for the song that Ilúvatar had granted Her to aid in Her portion of creating Arda. The melody was etched into Her soul, becoming a deep part of Her in both magic and heart, and it was never difficult to bring the melody to Her lips to create once again. She hummed the melody for a few moments before a rich soprano rang out into the darkness, power welling around the Star-Kindler as She readied the firmament for the new stars that would be born.

"There are shadows in the sky, dancing in the air, calling to my heart, saying, 'If you dare, we're running fast; we're running far, trying to catch the morning star...' And time and space, our only shield, keeping secrets unrevealed. Falling night breathes in the dark, trying to catch the morning star...I can fly through my mind when I see them as they shine; can it be so hard to try and charm the elusive morning star...So within the chase, we soon will find the light of the moon. Those left behind try to free the gypsy in their hearts by trying to catch the morning star...Now that the time has come and gone, illusion has passed and we're on our own, know the dream is never far hen trying to catch the morning star..."

While the melody was familiar to Ilmarë, the words were new and she listened to her mistress sing, sensing the firmament prepare itself to accept the new stars. The power she could feel the Valië wield was breathtaking and humbling. While she was a Maia, a creature of power, she knew she would never be able to reach the heights of magic that her mistress and the others were able to use with such ease and skill. Not that she would want to! The duties and responsibilities the Valar held were immense, and Ilmarë did not envy them the tasks set before them. No, she was more than happy to help her mistress with Her tasks and be whatever support her queen needed her to be.

She was drawn from her thoughts when Varda reached into the basket, drawing a small handful of the dew. The queen never stopped singing as She pressed the dew into a small ball before setting it into the firmament. Ilmarë sensed the power flare as the dew became something more, shining brightly as it was reborn into a star.

A gentle touch from her mistress had her looking up and when she saw the smile and nod of encouragement, the handmaiden joined into the song. While she could never do what the queen was doing, Ilmarë could support her mistress and aid in placing the balls of dew so that Varda could kindle them into stars when She was ready to do so.

Her voice danced with Varda's, enriching the song as her gentle alto harmonized easily with the soprano the other used to full effect. She'd often sung with her queen before, usually just for fun, and it was something the pair enjoyed. Ilmarë could see Varda smiling even more as She heard the harmony coming from Her handmaiden.

"There are shadows in the sky, dancing in the air, calling to my heart, saying, 'If you dare, we're running fast; we're running far, trying to catch the morning star...' And time and space, our only shield, keeping secrets unrevealed. Falling night breathes in the dark, trying to catch the morning star...I can fly through my mind when I see them as they shine; can it be so hard to try and charm the elusive morning star...So within the chase, we soon will find the light of the moon. Those left behind try to free the gypsy in their hearts by trying to catch the morning star...Now that the time has come and gone, illusion has passed and we're on our own, know the dream is never far hen trying to catch the morning star..."

They sung the song multiple times as both of them shaped the dew, setting each one into proper position into the firmament so that each one would look amazing when they were kindled properly by the Queen of the Stars. The melody was so catchy that Ilmarë caught herself dancing as she sang and set the balls of dew into place. She blushed a bit when she spied Varda watching her, but the blush swiftly disappeared as the queen began dancing with her. Both of them moved gracefully to the melody, never missing a word as they kept on singing and working.

The singing continued as hours passed unnoticed by the pair as they danced and placed the soon to be new stars into position. The dancing moved from formal, almost courtly style of movement to silly, playful moves that nearly had them giggling. It took the utmost of control to not break the song, but it was obvious the pair were laughing inside.

It was a joyful task, and the Maia was so pleased to be allowed to be a part of it. She usually set the balls of dew into random places but occasionally, she followed an inner instinct to set them into patterns that might be useful in the future. It didn't happen very often, and she could see that Varda was creating various patterns that looked to be rather interesting in shape. She made a mental note to herself to ask her queen about it later once the work was done.

Time passed slowly and once the basket was empty, Ilmarë took a step back to watch as Varda stood alone in the middle of the firmament, surrounded by the stars that had been lit and those who were waiting to be kindled. The Valië stopped singing, eyeing their handiwork before reaching for the melody once more. This time, the words had changed, forming a new song as the melody shifted to allow for this final act of Her creation.

"Suddenly before my eyes hues of indigo arise; with them how my spirit sighs. Paint the sky with stars. Only night will ever know, why the heavens never show all the dreams there are to know..Paint the sky with stars. Who has placed the midnight sky so a spirit has to fly? As the heavens seem so far now, who will paint the midnight star? Night has brought to those who sleep, only dreams they cannot keep. I have legends in the deep...Paint the sky with stars. Who has placed the midnight sky so a spirit has to fly? As the heavens seem so far now, Who will paint the midnight star? Place a name upon the night, one to set your heart alight and to make the darkness bright...Paint the sky with stars."

As Varda sang, the balls of dew, which had a soft light of their own, began burning brightly with the fire that fueled the stars the queen had placed so long ago. The firmament was no longer as dark as it had once been; it now served as a backdrop for a radiant display that was breathtaking. The stars were vibrant as they sparkled, illuminating the night sky with the cool light that almost danced in the darkness.

Once the melody faded, Ilmarë spoke, breaking the silence that had fallen as she turned in circles to admire the gorgeous view she was admiring.

"Oh my," she said softly, her voice quiet but piercing.

"I hope you mean you like it," Varda asked, teasing her companion just a bit.

"This is the most beautiful thing I have ever seen, mo bhanríon. The Firstborn will be so lucky to have this to wake up to," the Maia told her queen, being very sincere. "These news stars really complete everything, and it's just perfect – absolutely perfect!"

Before Varda could answer her handmaiden, an unexpected voice filled the air and caused both of them to turn to discover who had interupted their activities. They were surprised to find all of the Valar standing behind them, watching the pair intently.

"She is right, mo grá. I believe this is your best handiwork yet," Manwë told His wife as He moved towards her. "We heard the music and decided to watch you and Ilmarë work, and it was a sight that moved all of us."

"Oh dear," Ilmarë muttered when she heard His words.

Her words caused the Valar to laugh, knowing she was a bit embarrassed by her singing and dancing. They all knew she preferred to sing whenever she was alone with Varda, and it seemed the Maia was still very uncomfortable about being observed by others.

Before she could comment further, Nienna moved forward to take the empty basket, tossing it over her shoulder towards Aulë. She took the Maia's hands, squeezing gently to comfort her while She reassured the handmaiden.

"You were such a joy to watch, Ilmarë. I think we tend to forget that creation is an act of happiness, and you reminded us of that today."

At Her words, Ilmarë looked up to see a very rare sight. Lady Nienna was smiling, and it was a lovely picture they were all committing to memory, especially the Maia who had that smile focused on her. She shyly smiled back, aware that her own was nowhere near as endearing as the gentle one the beautiful Valië was gifting her.

"Thank you, ceann daor, for this gift," Nienna continued when She knew She had the handmaiden's attention. "This means more to us than you know, and it something we shall treasure. I know we will endeavor to take joy in creating whenever we do such things again."

"You are welcome, my lady," she answered, voice shaking a little. "I didn't know we were being watched; I was just happy to see mo bhanríon smiling again."

"We have missed Her smile," Yavanna said as the rest of the Valar moved closer to the pair. "That is another gift we are thankful for, ceann daor. You brought Her smile back, and we are eternally grateful for that. None of us were certain as to how to drive away the shadows from Her, and our concern for Her continued to grow."

Ilmarë shuffled her feet for a moment, looking down as she gathered her thoughts. She was about to admit to something that the Valar in question might not be pleased about, but she was an honest person and could not hide this from the Queen of Earth.

"I overheard Lord Mandos talking to Lord Aulë, King Manwë, and Lady Nienna about the Firstborn and how they would revere mo bhanríon because of Her stars. I know I'm not supposed to eavesdrop, but it was important. I thought the news might make Her happy, and I was right about that. I am sorry for eavesdropping though. I know it's not very polite."

"You are correct," Mandos told the Maia, voice firm but gentle. "However, I believe you can be forgiven for this since it did make our dear Varda so very happy once again."

"I do believe it was the presence of Ilmarë who helped return that smile," Estë shared, Her own smile just as lovely as Nienna's.

When Ilmarë tried to shake her head and deny that, the wife of Lord Lórien spoke again before the Maia could rebut that statement.

"You have a gift, ceann milis, and it is not the magic that comes from being one of the Maiar," She told her. "No, this gift comes from your own sweet and gentle nature. You bring smiles to those you meet through the day, and that is a gift that is rare indeed. That was one of the reasons you were suggested as a possible handmaiden to Varda. Her position is a difficult one and while he is faithful, Olórin does not have the lightness in his heart as you do. His path takes him away from Varda's side, and you were chosen because your path keeps you where you are needed to be – by Varda at all times."

That truly surprised her because Olórin always seemed wiser and grander than she was. Yes, she was a chief but she never really held herself as being above the rest of her fellow Maiar. She stared at Este for a moment, trying to gather her thoughts.

"I never really thought of it that way," she said to them. "I've always been honored to be Her handmaiden, and I have never really thought of myself as equals with Olórin or the others. They seem grander than I am."

"You are a chief," Mandos reminded her. "You were chosen for that position for a reason as well, ceann beag. You are just as great as they are, if not greater, and you demean yourself for thinking of yourself as something lower. You are not, Ilmarë. Your gentle heart and manner does not mean you are a mouse even if you are as quiet as one sometimes."

"I understand what you are trying to say, my lord," she answered quietly. "It will take time to adjust how I think about myself."

"I could always have Eönwë help you with that," Manwë offered, laughing when the Maia cringed at the suggestion.

"Please don't, mo rí. The last time we had a discussion about something, it turned into a sparring match with weapons and my bruises had bruises," she told Him, cringing at the memory of it. "He would not be pleased with how I have been thinking of myself, and I fear I would be a mess at the end of the discussion."

"I would be more than happy to help you practice," Tulkas offered, grinning good naturedly when she stared at Him for several moments.

"You would improve in defense," Nessa assured her with a gentle laugh. "It might surprise Eönwë the next time you two should meet and spar again."

"I'm certain Aulë will help too," Yavanna suggested, laughing when Her husband poked Her gently before agreeing with a nod. "He does a lot of forging, but He does know how to use the weapons He's made. Between Him and Tulkas, you will improve a great deal and might be wise to do in case you need to defend Varda in the future."

"One never knows what the future holds," Vairë agreed, tilting Her head slightly as Her fingers twitched. "The ability to defend yourself beyond magical means is one that is always a wise talent to possess, Rinceoir Réalta."

"If Lord Tulkas and Lord Aulë are willing, then I will be happy to learn from them as long as mo bhanríon does not need mé," Ilmarë agreed, seeing the wisdom in Lady Vairë's words.

"I believe the lessons will be good for you, Rinceoir Réalta," Varda replied, reassuring her handmaiden as well as using the new nickname Vairë had gifted the Maia. "I know I would feel relieved in knowing you were able to protect yourself better should the worst happen."

Ilmarë bowed her head, hand pressed to her heart as she accepted her queen's wishes. She would do whatever she could to help keep Varda feeling better about things; Melkor's betrayal and actions had deeply unsettled the Valië. The Maia knew of this and take this training as a means of protecting Her queen if the worst did happen.

"As you will it, mo bhanríon," she stated in a very firm voice. "I will do my best to learn everything Lord Tulkas and Lord Aulë have to teach me and master it as well as I can."

"That is all I ask," Varda told her, giving a sweet smile. "I have no wish for my dear friend and companion to come to harm. That ceann olc will not be allowed to take more from me, from any of us. I will not allow it."

"None of us will," Aulë assured Her. "We have no wish to see darkness continue to spread or to see the lives of beings fall to His evil. We will ensure that good has a way to win at the end, Varda. You have our word on that."

"I know," She answered, looking even more reassured by His promise.

Estë watched this, seeing Varda's reaction, and She realized that this conversation had been needed for quite some time. She hadn't realized just how worried their queen had been, and She silently chastised Herself for being so obtuse. She would have to make sure all of them discussed these things in the future so that none of them would be carrying the burden of worry for so long without aid.

"I think we should make time to discuss issues in the future," She ventured. "I think the lack of discussion has been a hindrance to us, and that can be a problem should the ceann olc or any allies He gains try to use our lack of communication against us."

"Agreed," Manwë told Her. "We will not allow it to happen. In the meantime, I think We should just enjoy the beautiful scene Varda and our Rinceoir Réalta have provided for us. Varda, a lot of these are in shapes. Why is that?"

"I think they would be good for navigating as well as determining seasons," She answered. "I wanted them to be useful for the new children, and shapes are easier to find in a sky full of stars. Rinceoir Réalta did most of hers in random positions, but I had to be sure that these new ones were going to be useful as well as lovely."

They stood there for a time, determining each shape and discussing silly stories behind why each constellation had such unusual shapes. Ilmarë listened to them, smile growing at each silly tale, and she felt so very happy at seeing the Valar looking so relaxed and enjoying themselves like this. She really hoped she would have the opportunity to see this type of scene happen more than once.

"So I have to ask," Aulë stated, drawing her from her thoughts. "One of these is in the shape of a crown; is there a reason for that?"

"Is there really," Varda asked, startled by that observation.

The Smith pointed out the constellation in particular, and She watched it for a moment with a baffled look on Her face.

"I didn't create this one," She stated. "This may be Ilmarë's handiwork."

"It is, mo bhanríon, thought I'm not quite certain what made me do it," the handmaiden admitted shyly. "I had a feeling the shape would be needed in the future, maybe to help someone with their destiny? I can't explain it."

"It will be useful in the future," Vairë assured the Maia with a mysterious smile. "Have no fear of that. It's a lovely constellation, Rinceoir Réalta, and it fits in with the others quite nicely. You both did a fabulous job with this; beings will be admiring the stars for generations to come."

Ilmarë gave a look of relief at that; as she had admitted, she'd followed instinct with that particular constellation and she was glad the others approved of it. The Valar had often encouraged her and the other Maiar to follow their instincts since magic was guiding them to do something that was necessary. Now she was very happy she had done so.

"They really are very shiny," Vána observed with a soft smile. "I love how they sparkle in the sky; it's so very easy to get lost in admiration of them. I have a feeling that music and poetry will be crafted in honor of your work."

"Just so long as it's not too dry and dull," Ilmarë admitted. "One would go to sleep under such a lovely sky listening to something that would not keep the listeners' attention."

Her answer made the Valar laugh and agree, knowing the small Maia was very correct in her statement. Works of that nature would be difficult to listen to, but all of them knew it was a very strong possibility that long odes would be composed that would easily put someone to sleep.

"It's still an honor," she said, hurrying to fix her horrifying rude comment. "I just don't seem to have the ability to listen to such things. Oh my, I'm making it worse."

"It's all right, Ilmarë," Oromë soothed, still chuckling. "We have all said something that we were mortified for, even Manwë has done it, so do not feel bad about it."

"He is right," the king agreed, shaking His head with a rueful smile. "I've inadvertently insulted someone more than once during meetings, and I am certain that will continue even though I do my very best not to do it. Try to relax and enjoy your handiwork, all right?"

She smiled at that, finally relaxing, and she studied the stars for a moment before speaking again.

"They really do sparkle like my lord's gems," she said, forgetting the creator in question was standing right beside her. "Mo bhanríon, are you certain He didn't use your stars as inspiration for the pretty rocks?"

Aulë sputtered in stunned disbelief while Varda and Yavanna nearly cried with laughter at the question from their little star dancer.

"Never change, mo rinceoir réalta," Varda said, giggling hard as she spoke to her dearest friend. "Never change!"

Author's End Notes – I felt Irish-Gaelic would be appropriate for the Valar's personal language as I wanted the elvish tongues to be unique to them and not considered a "divine language." Translations are as follows: mo bhanríon means my queen, ceann beag means little one, ceann milis means sweet one, mo grá means my love, ceann daor means dear one, mo rí means my king, ceann olc means evil one, and rinceoir réalta means star dancer. And the story is done! I was terrified I wouldn't make the minimum word requirement, but I have and am so happy for it. I truly hope GloomyCamomile enjoys the story as much as I did the artwork. Please visit the link and also share what you thought of this little story. It was fun playing with the Valar this time! See you next time! ~ Laran


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